Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of restraint harness arrangements in general and in particular to a dual adult/child restraint harness arrangement.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,435,272; 4,028,742; 5,183, 007; 5,052, 704; and, 4,560,097, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse dual harness arrangements that are specifically designed to accommodate an adult and a child on a motorcycle, bicycle or personal water craft.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical adult/child restraint harness that not only provides a secure connection between the adult and the child, but which also incorporates a full body harness that will virtually insure that the child will remain within the confines of the harness regardless of the impact forces that are exerted against the adult/child restraint harness arrangement.
Unfortunately the prior art constructions are almost universally remiss in addressing the need for a full body restraint when it comes to the safety of the child which can lead to potentially fatal consequences.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need among parents with small children for a new and improved adult/child restraint harness that focuses on providing the child with a full body harness that may be adjusted so as to maintain the child in a position wherein the child""s legs are maintained in close proximity to their chest to absorb a substantial portion of an impact generated by a fall; and the provision of such an arrangement is the stated objective of the present invention.
Briefly stated, the adult/child restraint harness that forms the basis of the present invention comprises in general an adult harness unit, a child harness unit and a tether unit for operatively connecting the adult harness unit to the child harness unit.
As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, the adult harness unit comprises a chest harness member having front and rear pairs of slidable D-rings and a unique tensioning strap arrangement disposed between the rear portions of the shoulder straps that are adjustably connected to the waist encircling strap that completes the chest harness member.
In addition, the child harness unit comprises a full body harness member having a unique leg strap restraint system as well as a single pair of slidable D-rings which are freely moveable between a pair of upper torso cross-straps wherein the rear cross-strap contains the same tensioning arrangement as is incorporated into the adult chest harness member; and, wherein the leg strap restraint system allows the adult to pre-position the child""s legs in a defensive position in front of the child""s chest to minimize impact to the child""s chest in the event of an accident.